Here’s a long list of current Kindle deals: Rid of My Disgrace by Justin & Lindsey Holcomb ($0.99); Stop Asking Jesus Into Your Heart by J.D. Greear ($4.99); Risk Is Right by John Piper ($1.99); What Is the Mission of the Church? by Greg Gilbert and Kevin DeYoung ($5.99); The Gospel and Personal Evangelism by Mark Dever ($3.99); Finish the Mission by John Piper & David Mathis (editors) ($5.99); Brothers, We Are Not Professionals by John Piper ($4.99); Modest by Tim Challies & R.W. Glenn ($2.99); The Gospel-Centered Woman by Wendy Alsup ($4.99); Just Do Something by Kevin DeYoung ($4.99); Words From the Fire by Al Mohler ($4.99); The Quiet Place by Nancy Leigh DeMoss ($1.99); Girls Gone Wise by Mary Kassian ($1.99); The Good Life by Trip Lee ($3.99); The Essential Edwards Collection, 5 Volumes ($9.99); Why We’re Not Emergent by Kevin DeYoung and Ted Kluck ($4.99); The Church Planting Wife by Christine Hoover ($4.99); When Helping Hurts by Corbett and Fikkert ($4.99); On Being a Pastor by Alistair Begg and Derek Prime ($4.99); Made For His Pleasure by Alistair Begg ($4.99); He Is Not Silent by Al Mohler ($4.99); Reverberation by Jonathan Leeman ($4.99).

Who Works - Here’s an interesting chart showing who is in the workforce and who is not.

Gospel Coalition Livestream - The Gospel Coalition conference begins today. You can follow it live online. I’m down here in Orlando for the next few days taking it all in.

Rick Warren - You may have heard the sad news that Rick Warren’s son took his own life a few days ago. USA Today covers the story and says that “thousands are responding to Pastor Rick Warren’s grief with compassion but others use the moment to attack him and his Christian message.” 

Learning from Africa’s Christians - Articles like this can sometimes be a little bit condescending. But not this one. Stephen Liggins suggests ways that Christians around the world can learn from their brothers and sisters in Africa.

Edith Schaeffer - The New York Times has a lengthy obituary for Edith Schaeffer.

Fal$e Teacher$ - Shai Linne risks alienating some of his audience by rapping about some of the prosperity teachers.

No man who is full of himself can ever truly preach the Christ who emptied himself. --J. Sidlow Baxter

4 Truths About Hell - Tom Ascol: “So, what should we think of hell? Is the idea of it really responsible for all the cruelty and torture in the world? Is the doctrine of hell incompatible with the way of Jesus Christ? Hardly. In fact, the most prolific teacher of hell in the Bible is Jesus, and He spoke more about it than He did about heaven.”

Rick Phillips Follows-Up - Yesterday I linked to an article by Rick Phillips. Today he follows up on some objections. “One of his commenters brought up an objection that I thought I might respond to here.  I had written that without the Bible, the only moral consensus open to man is a wicked pagan idolatry.  The objection offered was that many people who do not accept the Bible nonetheless lead loving and moral lives.  We therefore can have morality without the Bible.”

7 Deadly Myths About Editing - “There's a lot of misinformation and misunderstanding about editors and what they do. Here are seven of those myths that I'd like to clean up…”

7 Directives for Meditating on Scripture - Paul Tautges looks to the Puritans to find 7 directives for meditating on Scripture.

The Darkness Shall Not Overcome It - John Knight looks to current news stories and says that at times the darkness can seem overwhelming. And in the middle of all that darkness, he offers hope.

The Highlights Are Not Enough - “I have become very thankful for sports highlights shows.  In just a few minutes, I can watch all the best parts of the game and see who or which team has won in the end.  A three hour baseball game can be consumed in just two minutes.” But what happens when we use this “highlights” approach for teaching our children?

It is only our bad temper that we put down to being tired or worried or hungry; we put our good temper down to ourselves. --C.S. Lewis

Here are a bunch of new Kindle deals that may interest you: Just Do Something by Kevin DeYoung ($4.99); Words From the Fire by Al Mohler ($4.99); The Quiet Place by Nancy Leigh DeMoss ($1.99); Girls Gone Wise by Mary Kassian ($1.99); The Good Life by Trip Lee ($3.99); The Essential Edwards Collection, 5 Volumes ($9.99); Why We’re Not Emergent by Kevin DeYoung and Ted Kluck ($4.99); The Church Planting Wife by Christine Hoover ($4.99); When Helping Hurts by Corbett and Fikkert ($4.99); On Being a Pastor by Alistair Begg and Derek Prime ($4.99); Made For His Pleasure by Alistair Begg ($4.99); He Is Not Silent by Al Mohler ($4.99); Reverberation by Jonathan Leeman ($4.99).

Leading the Church While Leading Your Family - This is a fantastic article for church leaders and anyone else. Seriously, give it a read. “ Can we really be effective pastors and good husbands and dads? Do we really have to choose between the church and our family?”

Sexual Assault Awareness Month - The month of April has been designated Sexual Assault Awareness Month (SAAM) in the U.S.. Justin Holcomb has provided a list of recommended resources related to training, protection and recovery.

Bill O’Reilly, Gay Marriage, and the Bible - Rick Phillips provides a helpful addition to the many articles related to gay marriage. O’Reilly presupposes that the Bible is not an acceptable source of authority for our culture. Conservatives must accept that liberals will not listen to Scripture and therefore craft a moral consensus on grounds other than the Bible. What he fails to realize is that apart from God and his Word, the only moral consensus possible to man is an evil pagan idolatry.”

Sexual Sin Is a Corporate Affair - Harry Schaumburg: “When we take the gospel seriously we not only correctly understand the nature of sexual immorality, we must become proactive in taking corporate responsibility for the sexual maturity and sexual problems within our local church. … Our response to the existence of sexual sin within the church reveals a lot about our own spiritual, relational, and sexual maturity, as well as those with whom we fellowship.”

All Hail Maggie Smith - Maggie Smith has gained lots of acclaim for her role in Downton Abbey. Gina Dalfonzo looks at her as someone who is willing to age with dignity.

Life is not measured by length but by depth. Birthdays tell us how long we have been on the road, not how far we have travelled. --Vance Havner

The Trinity and the Christian Life - The newest edition of the online magazine Credo is intended “to bring our minds back to the beauty, glory, and majesty of our triune God--Father, Son, and Holy Spirit.”

The Bottom Line of Christian Ministry - “In the business world, the bottom line is the last line of a financial statement that shows profit and loss. It is about whether the company is earning or losing money. And, as they say, the bottom line is the bottom line.” H.B. Charles Jr. looks for the bottom line of Christian ministry.

Keller’s Peace with the Wrath of God - “In a sermon titled ‘The Dark Garden,’ Tim Keller explains how he came to understand that a god without wrath and Hell is not as loving as the God we find in the Bible.” It’s well worth reading.

Envy and the YRR - Joe Rigney has a well-timed word for the New Calvinist crowd. “Envy is a movement killer. And if you ask me, it is probably the fundamental danger facing the modest movement called Young, Restless Reformed (YRR) in the years ahead.”

Health-Food Heresy - “Have you ever thought that as you're eating pesticide-free, chemical-free, dye-free, calorie-free, fat-free, gluten-free, dairy-free, or carb-free, you may also be eating Jesus-free?” It’s worth thinking about.

The Children’s Bible Market - This blog post rounds up and rates some of the children’s Bibles out there.

Watch Me! - “Using audio from Don Carson, this short video challenges us from the Bible how we must be sharing our lives, opening up the Bible and changing generations as we point them to Jesus.”

The greatest charity in the world is the communication of divine truth to the ignorant. --Alexander Maclaren

Here is a list of Kindle deals to consider: Rid of My Disgrace by Justin & Lindsey Holcomb ($0.99); Stop Asking Jesus Into Your Heart by J.D. Greear ($4.99); Risk Is Right by John Piper ($1.99); What Is the Mission of the Church? by Greg Gilbert and Kevin DeYoung ($5.99); The Gospel and Personal Evangelism by Mark Dever ($3.99); Finish the Mission by John Piper & David Mathis (editors) ($5.99); Brothers, We Are Not Professionals by John Piper ($4.99); Modest by Tim Challies & R.W. Glenn ($2.99); The Gospel-Centered Woman by Wendy Alsup ($4.99).

How to Reach the Middle Class - Mez McConnell hits a little bit below the belt in this one! “Congratulations. You have been saved from a housing scheme background and you have taken the step to enter into cross cultural ministry. Ministering to the middle class is fraught with many pitfalls and dangers and is something not to be entered into lightly. Please take time to read the following.”

The Sound of Your Own Voice - Have you ever heard a recording of your own voice and asked, “Is that what I really sound like?” Here’s the answer: “Yes, it is, unfortunately--and it's what everyone else hears, too. So why does my recorded voice sound so unfamiliar to me?”

Our National Pastime - Baseball isn’t officially the national pastime on this side of the border, but if it were put to the vote, it would get mine. Kevin DeYoung’s reflections on the game are thoughtful and well-written (for a Sox fan).

Thou Shalt Not Commit Adultery - Ed Welch reflects on the fleeting joy and long-lasting pain of adultery.

The Bible According to The History Channel - I have not seen History Channel’s The Bible miniseries, but enjoyed reading David Nilsen’s take on it. “History’s The Bible is pretty good entertainment. If it isn’t worthy of high praise, it also isn’t worthy of bitter lament, nor is it a portent of cultural decline. We’ve been at this cinematic spot many times before, and this series is simply a slightly updated version of already worn material.”

There is no detour to holiness. Jesus came to the resurrection through the cross, not around it. --Leighton Ford

The Haddon Robinson Principle - Here’s a helpful article for preachers. “‘Ideally, each sermon is the explanation, interpretation, or application of a single dominant idea supported by other ideas, all drawn from one passage or several passages of Scripture.’ How many points was that? Three? Five? No. One point. One single point. So here's our principle: Preach with a pin, not with a hammer.”

9 Things About Edith Schaeffer - Joe Carter rounds up 9 facts about Edith Schaeffer.

Treasure Map - Did you know that Google Maps has a treasure map view? It’s kind of fun. And mostly useless. But still fun. Be sure to try street view on it as well (by dragging the spy glass to the map).

Bracketing Morality - Al Mohler on the gay marriage debate: “What makes this moral revolution so vast in consequences and importance is this: the moral dimension has virtually disappeared from the cultural conversation. This is true, we must note, even among the defenders of heterosexual marriage.”

The New Televangelists - “I thought we were done with the Televangelists. … I was wrong. Sure, most members of my generation still have no time for Televangelists, but many of us have fallen prey to something just as pernicious.”

Delusional Twenty Somethings - Donald Miller has a word for delusional twenty-somethings. (I know someone will bring up Blue Like Jazz. No, I am not endorsing it by linking to this article.)

Honoring Christ Online - Ligonier Ministries interviewed me for the April issue of Tabletalk, focusing in on how to honor God in our online lives.

There is no healing a man till the law has wounded him, no making him alive till the law has slain him. --C.H. Spurgeon

On Saturday I collaborated with my mother on a short memorial to Edith Schaeffer who had just gone to be with the Lord. Here are a couple of other articles, each written by one of her sons-in-law: Udo Middleman: “Today she "slipped into the nearer presence of Jesus", her Lord, from whom she awaits the promised resurrection to continue her life on earth and to dance once again with a body restored to wholeness.” And here is the official announcement from L’Abri.

When God Is Not Enough - Scotty Smith: “When the glory of the one true living God is no longer our principal passion in life, worship becomes a pragmatic vehicle for fulfilling two basic quests in life: provision and protection. Instead of living for God's glory and looking to Him to meet our needs, we exist for our glory and look for gods who will meet our demands.”

Surprised by Joy - C.S. Lewis’ Surprised By Joy is down to $2.99 for the Kindle edition.

Saeed Abedini - CNN writes about Naghmeh Abedini whose husband has been imprisoned in Iran for his Christian beliefs.

60 Seconds Adventures in Thought - These 60 second adventures in thought are kind of fun. (HT)

Unorganized Religion - ‘Michael Gerson discusses the 20% of Americans who describe their religion as "none."  It isn't that the "Nones" (not to be confused with "nuns") don't believe in God, necessarily.  64% of them do.  They just don't want to affiliate with any "organized religion."’

Intended Allegory in the Song of Solomon - Jim Hamilton: “So here's the simple proposal this post is inviting you to consider: is it possible that Solomon intended to represent the spiritual relationship between God and his people through a poetic depiction of the human relationship between the King and the Bride in the Song of Songs?”

I divide all readers into two classes: those who read to remember, and those who read to forget. --Willia Lyons Phelps

Man Is Fallen and Will Destroy the Earth - This article comes from far outside the Christian box, and this is exactly what makes it so interesting. The author, an environmentalist, realizes that secular humanism, which assumes the goodness of man, is contradicted by humanity’s treatment of the environment.

He Is a Kind Man - R.C. Sproul Jr. pens a tribute to his father. “While teaching through the fruit of the Spirit my father expressed how delighted he would be were those he leaves behind to choose, ‘He was a kind man’ for an epitaph. While it is certainly possible that such will come to pass, we pray in the distant future, I thought it might be wise to speak that truth here and now--my father is a kind man.”

Piper’s Final Weekend As a Pastor - This is John Piper’s final weekend as pastor of Bethlehem Baptist Church. David Mathis says “It's the end of an era -- the era of Piper as local-church pastor -- but God willing, just the beginning of a new season of ministry. Justin Taylor writes his own tribute.

The Look - Bob Kauflin shares the story behind a song and then gives it away as a free download.

The Need for More Sound Books - Joel Beeke shares some wisdom from Thomas Manton. “There is no end of books, and yet we seem to need more every day. There was such a darkness brought in by the fall, as will not thoroughly be dispelled till we come to heaven; where the sun shineth without either cold or night. For the present, all should contribute their help according to the rate and measure of their abilities. Some hold up a candle, others a torch; but all are useful. The press is an excellent means to scatter knowledge, were it not so often abused.”

Five Gay Marriage Myths - Writing for Salvo, Robin Phillips offers five myths about gay marriage.

We have much more to receive, but God has no more to give than he has given in Jesus Christ. --John Stott

Motherhood at the Foot of the Cross - Elisha reflects on the challenges of motherhood. “Some days I receive such abundant mercy, and words of grace and joy characterize my conversations with them. I gracefully nurture, and it comes almost naturally. Our home has peace, and laughter. These are such wonderful days. But then there are the other days…”

Fifty Reasons Why Jesus Came To Die - The Kindle edition of John Piper’s small book Fifty Reasons Why Jesus Came To Die is just $0.99 for Easter.

Excellence or Faithfulness - Randy and Nanci Alcorn are right: Sometimes you just can’t do everything in life with excellence, but you can always do them with faithfulness.

More Cell Phones than Toilets - It seems sociologically significant that more people on earth have access to cell phones than to toilets. 

Salvation Accomplished By the Son - If you’d like to do some Good Friday and Easter reading, Crossway is offering a free download of a significant portion of Robert Peterson’s Salvation Accomplished by the Son.

Revelation - If you ever read the Revelation graphic novel by Chris Koelle, you may be interested in buying some prints or other related art work. Chris has opened a store that sells all kinds of good things.

The State of the Bible - The Barna Group has produced its annual study of what Americans think about the Bible. Here's an interesting infographic summarizing their results.

Calvary shows how far men will go in sin, and how far God will go for man’s salvation. --H.C. Trumball

Cold-Case Christianity - J. Warner Wallace’s Cold-Case Christianity, quite a good book, is free for Kindle. I can’t imagine the deal will last long, so get it while the getting’s good!

Theologians I’ve Been Shaped By - “On a whim last week I stopped to try and think about who, out of the various books, pastors, and theologians I've been shaped by, has most shaped me theologically. I started rifling through the names-Calvin, Vanhoozer, Horton, Wright, Barth, Newbigin, Kreeft, Lewis, Kierkegaard-and came up with a surprising answer: my mother, Arliett.”

The Influence of Dr. Albert Mohler - Mike Leake: “I, for one, am grateful that the deeply held biblical convictions of Albert Mohler will survive into generations to come. I also pray that the Lord continues to work in the life of Dr. Mohler and Southern Seminary, for the truth, for the church, for the world, and for the glory of God.”

Why the Arguments Are Persuasive - “I don't think the arguments or gay marriage are biblically faithfully, logically persuasive, or good for human flourishing in the long run, but they are almost impossible to overcome with most Americans, especially in younger generations.” Kevin DeYoung explains.

Bright Young Things - “No one should be surprised that Victoria’s Secret is now targeting ‘tweens’ with their new Bright Young Things line. In our market culture, it no longer feels all that wrong for our preteens to don underwear (yes, I use that antiquated term intentionally) that draws attention to their private parts (that ancient phrase is intentional, too) with exaggerated cuts and printed suggestions. Columbus, Ohio, takes a step closer to Bangkok, Thailand. We’re just more understated about it all.”

Yahoo and the Church - David Murray looks at what Yahoo can teach the church. 

Stop Reacting to Robots - If you chew the meat and spit out the bones there are some interesting takeaways in this article.

The less we read the Word of God, the less we desire to read it, and the less we pray, the less we desire to pray. --George Mueller